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‘Just how rugby works’: South Africa bow out of Grand Final before semis

South Africa huddle together before a match at the SVNS Series Grand Final in Madrid. Picture: World Rugby.

It was a SVNS Series campaign that started with so much promise for South Africa. The Blitzboks got the better of Argentina in the Dubai decider back in December which put them at the top of the standings for at least one week.

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South Africa looked to replicate those early-season heroics in front of a vibrant crowd in Cape Town but they fell well short in the quarter-finals. In the other five regular season events, the Blitzboks struggled for consistency against the world’s best teams.

But after qualifying for the SVNS Series Grand Final in Madrid as one of the top eight men’s teams in the regular season, there was hope they might compete for gold at the winner-takes-all event. They fought valiantly once again but fell short of their goal.

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The Blitzboks have missed the semi-finals after failing to win any of their three pool matches. It’s a frustrating outcome considering they came within one error of beating Ireland on Friday, but Gavin Mullin snatched it with an 18th-minute match-winning try.

Moses Leo scored a try inside the final minute to deliver a tense win for New Zealand over the South Africa on day two, and then, finally, the Blitzboks were beaten by Fiji.

As the players walked down the tunnel, you could see how disappointed they were. Actually, let’s take that further – you could feel it. The playing group huddled together for a talk and a prayer before making their way towards the changerooms.

“The weekend didn’t go our way. We had two great games where the effort was there, but just the last game it felt like we weren’t in the moment,” captain Selvyn Davids told RugbyPass.

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“Fiji came out guns blazing. We gave them the ball too easily. I think if we just kept our ball it would have been a different ball game, but credit to Fiji, they came out and just played us off the park.

“We started off well in Dubai, winning the tournament, but it’s quite disappointing how we went from there. I think we just went down.

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“Then, after a few tournaments, we came up again, our standard of playing just went up a little bit but I think our consistency was the main problem.

“We played two great games, maybe three great games, and then in the quarter-finals we just seemed to lack a bit of effort or concentration. Disappointing season for us but that’s just how rugby works.”

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South Africa are one of the only SVNS Series sides yet to qualify for the Paris Olympics as well. The Blitzboks will have one more opportunity to book their ticket to France’s capital, but they’ll come up against tough and desperate opposition in Monaco.

Stade Louis II will host the final Olympic Games repechage event from June 21 to 23. Great Britain, Spain and Canada are the other three core status teams from the 2023/24 season looking to beat South Africa in the race for the Games.

But that event gives the Blitzboks hope. While the SVNS Series is over for another season, there’s still plenty to work towards over the next few weeks.

“The qualifier is important to us. I think we need to go back to the drawing board and when we go to the qualifiers we need to be positive and just start everything over.

“I think if we go there with a negative mindset we’re going to do what we did the whole season and come up short, and we can’t afford that.

“Everyone wants to play in the Olympics and everyone wants to play in the biggest sporting event in the world so for us, [it’s important] to just put this behind us.

“We still have a day tomorrow, so we need to come back positive and just pick up our heads and put in the effort again.”

Catch all of the SVNS Madrid action live and free on RugbyPass TV. To watch the Grand Final, register HERE.

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1 Comment
F
Flankly 154 days ago

Blitzboks have forgotten how to tackle.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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TRENDING Everyone is saying the same thing after agonising England loss Everyone is saying the same thing after agonising England loss
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